Morning Edition

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Morning Edition, with Cathy Wurzer in St. Paul and NPR hosts in Washington and Los Angeles, brings you all the news from overnight and the information you need to start your day. Listen from 4 to 9 a.m. every weekday.

Morning Announcements | Weather chats with Mark Seeley | Parting Thoughts

Tribal leaders urge caution as COVID-19 cases surge
In the past month, the number of COVID-19 cases among Native Americans in Minnesota has grown by 75 percent. As a result, tribal leaders across Minnesota are pleading with community members to take precautions to slow the spread of the virus.
Judge’s ruling paves the way for Floyd case to proceed
While Thursday’s headlines focused on the dropping of a third-degree murder charge against Derek Chauvin, some legal experts say the bigger takeaway from the 107-page ruling is that the trial against all four officers can move forward. 
Despite pullbacks, Trump team says Minnesota still in its sights
President Donald Trump has been saying for years he wants to win Minnesota, but with just over a week to go until Election Day, it appears he is walking back that goal. Until Friday, that is, when the campaign said it would increase ad spending and put a new focus on the state in the closing days of the race.
Hotel stays help dozens experiencing homelessness find more permanent homes
Hennepin County moved people, especially those most vulnerable to the worst effects of COVID-19, from shelters into private rooms in five hotels. The plan was to reduce crowding and protect people most at risk. There was another benefit: 56 people have moved into permanent housing since the start of the hotel efforts.
Art Hounds: Art that allows people to be seen (and heard)
Zoom allows audiences to see incarcerated writers reading their work in the annual event from the Minnesota Prison Writing Workshops. Also, essential worker portraits and coronavirus-inspired operas.
'I’m not alone': Minnesota students of color lead movement for equity in schools
Inspired by the protests following the police killing of George Floyd, high school students and recent graduates are pushing for anti-racist changes to curriculum, school boards and school discipline. And in some schools, their strategies appear to be working this fall.
Coronavirus cases rise to new levels in several Midwestern states
Several states in the Midwest, especially those surrounding Minnesota, have been reporting growing coronavirus case numbers in recent days. Host Cathy Wurzer spoke with reporters covering the outbreaks in South Dakota and Wisconsin about how their states are dealing with the high rates of new infections.
St. John's, St. Ben's shift gears to keep students on campus
COVID-19 forced colleges and universities to make major changes this year in the ways students learn and interact — and many students are taking most or even all of their courses online. But in central Minnesota, St. John's University and the College of St. Benedict decided to keep students on campus and in the classroom as much as possible.
County government is boring by design. National politics are making it less so
As this year’s hotly contested presidential election draws near, the drama is bleeding down into Minnesota’s ground-level politics. That’s especially true in Beltrami County, where local races seem to be messier and more partisan than ever.